Southern Smothered Oxtails

While here last year, our son, Rhett, raved about the oxtails he had made and, since I like braised beef shanks, I knew I wanted to give them a try.  So, when they butchered their beefs last winter, I asked our neighbors to get us some oxtails (really cow tails) and I’m just getting around to cooking them.  

I never could get Rhett’s recipe, so I went on line and found Rosie’s recipe for Southern Smothered Oxtails from her “I Heart Recipe’s” that looked very good to me.  I doubled her recipe to get the one below and since they wouldn’t fit in my slow cooker, I cooked them in a Dutch oven in the oven at 215F.  You can click on the above link for the original recipe and pics of Rosie's dish.

Southern Smothered Oxtails – Adapted from I Heart Recipes

Ingredients:

5 lbs beef oxtails

2½ cups all purpose flour

4 tbsp worcestershire sauce

4 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp freshly cracked or ground black pepper

1½ cup vegetable oil

6 cups beef broth

2 large yellow onion, sliced

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

* more salt & pepper for taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 215F.

2. Season the oxtails with salt, and black pepper to taste.

3. Drizzle the Worcestershire sauce all over the oxtails, then toss them to make sure that they are coated.

4. Add the oxtails to a large bag along with a half cup or so of flour and shake to coat them all over.

5. Next pour the vegetable oil into a 12" Dutch oven over medium heat.

6. Once the oil is hot, add half the oxtails and brown them on all sides.

7. Once the oxtails are brown remove them to a plate, brown the other half, and remove them to the plate.

8. Return back to the pan with the hot oil. (If there are burnt pieces in the pan, pour out the oil, strain, clean the pan, then pour the strained oil back into the pan).

9. Start adding the two cups of flour to the pan, but only a little bit at a time and whisk continuously.

10. Once the flour is brown, and resembles " peanut butter", slowly whisk in the beef broth.

11. Make sure everything is lump free, then turn the heat from medium to high.

12. Once the gravy reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to medium, and add the sliced onions, and garlic.

13.Stir the gravy, do a taste test and add as much salt & pepper that you think you may need.

14.Turn the heat off, and pour the gravy into another container leaving the pan bottom coated.

15. Return the oxtails to the pan and pour the gravy over them making sure that the oxtails are nicely covered with gravy

16. Put the pan in the oven and cook for 8 hours or until meat is very tender.

I sided them with plate mashed boiled potatoes and salad.

The Verdict:

They were delicious and everyone enjoyed them.  As a big gravy fan, I will definitely use this recipe again- I’ve already told my neighbor I’ll take 15lbs. this year if they are available.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

11/27/22 meal date